Hope is Eternal
by Stars and Jewels
Summary: Basically an epilogue to my previous one, "A Beacon of Hope." The beacon of hope is almost three now, and the family has plenty of love and hope to go around for everyone in it.


The Salvatore twins were now not quite three years old. It was very clear by now that they were even more invulnerable than their father and uncle. Sunlight, vervain, and werewolf bites were all completely harmless to these girls. It was assumed that, if they drank blood, no matter what kind, they could compel someone if they chose to. Food was just as nutritious to them as blood was, though. The girls needed no invitation into a residence; they could come and go as they pleased. Their fangs, like those of their father, were retractable. And since the sun couldn't harm them, they obviously didn't require daylight rings.

The twins had no problem at all controlling themselves around humans; they seemed to have a natural ability to resist human blood. In fact, Miranda and Jenna even seemed repelled by human blood. It seemed human blood was the only kind of blood they'd never drink. This was most likely because the girls were half-human themselves.

It was clear they were neither human nor vampire; rather, they were dhampirs, or beings who were half of both. Their skin, although unusually pale like their father's, was also like their mother's in that it was warm to the touch because the girls had a pulse. They were, however, as fast and as strong as their father and uncle. They girls aged at about almost the same rate as human girls their own age.

It was also very clear these girls would never possibly be the next Petrova doppelgangers. That was simply impossible. First of all, they didn't look identical to Elena; they had some of her features but also some of Stefan's. Second, and more importantly, as the doppelganger absolutely _had_ to be human, this meant these girls would be of no interest to the Originals, or to any werewolves, either. All any vampire or werewolf had to do was simply _smell_ these girls' blood to tell they were certainly not human – at least, not entirely.

Bonnie speculated that, because Stefan was seventeen when he was turned, the girls would age to be about seventeen, and then would stop aging altogether. In addition, Bonnie surmised that the twins would be able to have children themselves for an indefinite number of years after they finished aging. If everything continued to go as desired, Elena and Stefan might even become grandparents someday. Of course, it would take many years before anyone would know if Bonnie's theories were correct.

The entire family loved watching the girls grow and interact with their surroundings. The girls were starting to talk a little. They could say their own names and each others' names. They were already saying "Mommy" and "Daddy" to Elena and Stefan. And, of course, they were already calling Damon and Jeremy "Uncle Damon" and "Uncle Jeremy," respectively, and Bonnie "Auntie Bonnie" and they were even calling Alaric "Grandpa," which flattered and pleased him. The girls called Caroline and Matt by their first names, but it made them feel no less part of the family. As for Tyler, even if he wasn't exactly an official family member, he was nevertheless a valuable ally at worst and a genuine, loyal friend at best. Even he proved himself trustworthy, and the twins looked up to him as well.

Stefan and Elena absolutely loved being parents. It made them feel overwhelmingly joyous and extremely content in a way nothing ever had before. They both loved their girls and were devoted, protective parents. And Damon proved to be even better than Stefan had trusted him to be. Uncle Damon doted on his two nieces and spoiled them every chance he got. So did Uncle Jeremy. They both did everything they could to be the best uncles in the world. It gave them both a new sense of purpose. And in fact, everyone else in the family – Alaric, Matt, Caroline, Bonnie – loved these girls very much and took each and every opportunity to make sure they knew they were loved. And Miranda and Jenna certainly loved all the people in their family and made sure to make this known to them all. Already they could say "I love you" to everyone they cared about. And they frequently did.

The girls made everyone in their family happy. Matt and Alaric would never forget the smile on Jeremy's face when he'd come out of the delivery room and had happily announced he was now an uncle. Elena and Stefan would always remember the rare but priceless look of peaceful satisfaction on Damon's face as he held his nieces for the very first time. Elena would never stop remembering how content Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, and Alaric had been when she'd asked them all to be part of her children's lives and family. She also would always remember how overwhelmingly happy Jeremy was when she'd told him of her pregnancy and how relived she'd been at how he'd taken the news. Bonnie never would forget how happy and grateful Stefan and Elena were when they'd told her the spell had worked. She'd also always remember how proud she was of herself when she'd been able to make it work for them. And, of course, Elena and Stefan would always be able to recall – for eternity – the tremendous amount of pure joy both their daughters gave them each and every day.

The girls were very close, even though they were still just toddlers. They seemed completely inseparable. Each twin never wanted to go somewhere or do something without the other twin there with her. It looked as if sibling rivalry was unheard of to these girls, which was a refreshing relief to Stefan. They adored each other – and everyone else in their family.

Everyone in this family would do everything they could think of to protect each other. They would never again make the mistake of keeping secrets from each other. After all, Aunt Jenna and Vicki hadn't known what dangers lurked out there – at least, they hadn't known until it was far too late for them both. Everyone else all made certain to remind themselves and one another that knowledge was power. Also, they all made certain to tell each other every single day that they were a family and they all loved each other. And they all made certain to protect each other from any potential threats – no matter what kind.

Damon had felt very guilty since Rose had died, especially since he knew Jules had targeted _him_, not Rose. After that, Damon had felt guilty the way Rose also had felt guilty when she'd tried to pardon Trevor but had failed. After that, Rose had found a new purpose: protecting Elena, whom Rose previously had tried to send to her death. In doing this, Rose had not only spent her remaining time on Earth with a new sense of purpose and family, but had also managed to redeem herself. Similarly, Damon had found a new sense of purpose in protecting and doting on his family, most especially his two nieces. And in the process, he'd redeemed himself as well. And Damon was content with that.

Stefan, too, had managed to achieve redemption. It was undeniably true he had done some truly shameful and even outright despicable things during his years as a vampire. And quite honestly he was astonished – though grateful – that, even after learning of his past misdeeds, Elena was still in love with him and wanted to love no one else. Moreover, she'd repeatedly tried to get him to see the good in himself. But Stefan had also done some redeemable things in the years since he was turned. He'd become Lexi's best friend and had enjoyed all those happy times with her and he knew Lexi had enjoyed all that time and friendship with him. And she, in turn, had gotten him back in touch with his humane side. In addition, she'd also helped him make up his mind to stay with Elena. And both Stefan and Elena would eternally be grateful to Lexi for that.

Also, Stefan had done some noble deeds on his own. Although Stefan had cruelly denied Damon his most basic right to choose freely about whether or not to finish turning, Stefan had done it, at least partly, out of honest altruism. Also, when Damon had his second brush with death concerning his werewolf bite, both Stefan and Elena had done what they'd needed to do in order to save him. This had proven to Damon that Elena cared about him after all. She didn't care about Damon the way she cared about his brother, but she cared about Damon nonetheless.

Additionally, since meeting Elena, Stefan had consistently tried to do right. Both he and his brother, and numerous others, had tried to help and protect not only her, but also each other. Stefan had, on numerous occasions, saved Elena's life and she, in turn, had saved his life as well as Damon's. Tragically, no one had been able to save Jenna Sommers' life, but, to his credit, Stefan had at least made an effort to do just that. He'd been willing to give his life in exchange for Jenna's, and although he'd ultimately failed, Elena would never forget the fact that he'd tried.

So, although both Salvatore brothers had a long history of animosity toward each other, and although both had done terrible things in the past since being turned, each had managed to redeem himself. And each was equally happy with that. After all, each had to have done something right to be deserving of having such beautiful, precious, sweet children as Miranda and Jenna in their lives.

Of course, there was one matter no one in the family ever wanted to mention: what would ultimately happen to its human members? What would befall Jeremy, Matt, Alaric, Bonnie, and, most importantly, Elena herself? Would they all choose to become vampires as well, so as never to separate from the girls they all loved and adored so much? Would they all choose vampirism so they could indeed _all_ be together for eternity?

This remained unclear, at least for now. Admittedly, nobody was ever willing to bring up the subject of yet another person dying, which was perfectly understandable. After all, there had been far too much death and devastation in Mystic Falls over the last few years. It seemed that ever since Elena and Jeremy had lost their parents, everything else in their lives had gone totally downhill from there.

Well, not quite everything else. A number of notable good things had happened, too. Elena and Stefan had found each other and had fallen in love. Alaric had found a family he belonged to. Bonnie, Matt, and Caroline had become even closer to Elena, and also to each other, than they'd been before. Jeremy had really come to see the importance of family, friendship, and love. Although Damon tragically hadn't had Rose for long, they'd still had each other at all and each had known they'd loved the other, which still had to count for something good. Stefan had found new allies and even friends in Caroline, Matt, Alaric, and Bonnie. Elena had gained a stepfather, and, in a way, so had Jeremy. Damon and Stefan both had found their motivations not to be monsters anymore. Bonnie had come to see she was talented and skilled in ways she'd never known before. Caroline had become this person who actually believed in herself. Even Tyler had found people who genuinely sympathized with him. Also, Tyler, as well as Jeremy, had also found Alaric, in whom Tyler had found a far better father figure to emulate and whose example he could readily follow. And, perhaps most significant of all, Stefan and Damon had finally begun to reestablish at least some of their human brotherly bond.

Of course, tragic things had happened, too. Matt's sister, Vicki, had been thoughtlessly turned and subsequently killed. Elena's aunt Jenna had met the same tragic fate not very long thereafter. Bonnie's grandmother, Sheila, had also died needlessly. John and Isobel, too, had died, as had Rose and Lexi. Harper, Anna, and Pearl had also been killed. Also, Elena had learned the truth about herself, and some of it was honestly a truth she would rather not have learned. Caroline's relationship with her mother had basically deteriorated into full-blown animosity between them, not that they were ever really close in the first place. And, certainly not least, far too many undeserving, innocent people in Mystic Falls had suffered terribly from fear and pain and/or had met their tragic, untimely demises.

This could not be changed. What was already done could regrettably never be undone. That much _was _clear.

But another thing was far clearer: this family could face anything. If they could face – and ultimately overcome – everything they'd already faced together, then certainly they could face whatever else the future might have in store for them. And they all knew that as long as they were all together and had each other, the future would always look brighter. As long as they all never gave up hope, and as long as they all kept reminding each other – and themselves – that they were indeed a loving family, then they knew they all could definitely handle whomever or whatever came their way. And with their beacon of hope, they all knew their strength was most certainly never, ever going to be in short supply.


End file.
